Bumper to Bumper
Am I Fallin’ in Love Alone
It’ll Be Alright
When You’re Not Here
Gotta Let You Know
I Need You Back
You Say You Want Me Back
Leaving You While Loving You
Never Be The Same
Until You Love Yourself
“Bumper to Bumper” is an up-tempo country tune which takes the common experience of being stuck in traffic and allows it to use the line, “I wanna be bumper to bumper with you”. Its steel guitar, guitar licks, and vocal delivery give it an unmistakable country flavor.
“Am I Falling in Love Alone” deals with the uncertainty of new love, its deep emotions, and need for reassurance of love reciprocated. The vocalist passionately pleads for answers to her questions in this sensitive R&B ballad.
“It’ll Be Alright” is a tender ballad expressing both the possibilities and doubts of a new relationship. The singer poses the questions, “Are you really for me?,” “Am I right for you?,” ” Could it really work out?,” and “What should I do?”
“When You’re Not Here” was written to reflect the pain and longing of being separated from one’s love. Jazz chords intermingled with soft piano and a moving sax solo combine to deliver a bluesy torch song.
“Gotta Let You Know”, the title track of the album, tells the story of a woman who is left alone in a relationship by her love without reason or explanation. A country tune, the song is punctuated by a steel guitar and is conveyed meaningfully by the artist.
“I Need You Back” tells the story of love lost and the desperate need to regain it. The vocalist’s voice has haunting echoes of Michael Jackson as he pleads for his love’s return.
“You Say You Want Me Back” is a rock song with an attitude. The singer thumbs her nose at a former love’s request to come back. She shouts, “Now I can make it on my own” as she triumphantly tells him to “Go, just go.”
“Leaving You While Loving You,” the only song sung on the album by the composer Linda Herod, is a song about the conflict of loving someone and, at the same time, knowing you must leave. An old-style ballad, this song is richly orchestrated with poignant chords.
“Never Be The Same” tells the story of love lost. In this case, the words were written after the loss of a dear family member. The words are written ambiguously to convey any love lost. The listener, however, will be able to connect to any love lost scenario.
“Until You Love Yourself” is a song with a new age perspective which states “Until you love yourself, can’t love nobody else.” Beginning as a slow ballad, the song takes a surprising turn at the bridge and becomes a rocking guitar solo with a dynamic superimposed rap.
© 2023 Linda Herod